Nabe ingredients

It has been a while since I last posted, and it is due to laziness and boredom. I am also not eating out as much these days since I am trying to be a little more health conscious in the foods that I eat. This meal was eaten more than 6 months ago, but I have to say that the dishes that I enjoyed here at Ichiriki were definitely satisfying.

For those of you unfamiliar with nabe, it is basically a cook-your-own hot pot dish.  I generally start with shio, or salt, based broth. I add the ingredients that take longer to cook first, such as the mushrooms (dried) and tofu, then add the remaining ingredients based on the level of doneness that I want to eat them at.  The thinly sliced beef is great when it is medium rare, therefore it just needs a quick “dunk” in the bubbling pot of broth.  Since I like the vegetables to retain their crunch and color, I generally “blanch” them in the broth for about 30 seconds (Chinese cabbage) to a minute (enoki mushrooms).  Seafood such as shrimp and scallops cook quite quickly so watch them closely since you don’t want them to over cook.

At Ichiriki, there are a number of different types of broth for you to enjoy — shoyu, pirikara (spicy), miso and kim chi — to name some of the options.  There are also quite a number of appetizers and side dishes that can be ordered and eaten alongside your nabe: arabiki, croquette, karaage and poke are some of the many dishes that I’ve tried over the course of a couple of years eating here.  Do try the green tea shave ice topped with azuki, mochi balls and condensed milk for dessert, if you enjoy a sweet ending to your meal.

All in all, the variety of ingredients and the savory broth, both make the nabe here a good choice when you want something warm and comforting.  The combination of thinly sliced beef, tsukune, seafood such as shrimp and scallops, and lots of vegetables all provide a lot of punch to what’s left of the broth at the end of the meal.

Ichiriki Japanese Nabe Restaurant
510 Piikoi Street
Telephone: 808.589.2299

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